Apparatus for unwrapping and stripping inner tubes



1,642,566 Sept, 13, T. J. SMITH APPARATUS FOR UNWRAPPING AND STRIPPING INNER TUBES Filed April 25, 1919 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 13 1927. Sept T. J. SMITH APPARATUS FOR UNWRAPPING AND STRIPPING INNER TUBES Filed April 25. 1919 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 13 1927. Sept T. J. SMITH APPARATUS FOR UNWRAPPING AND STRIPPING' INNER TUBES Filed April 25. 1919 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 fer rails. i

Patented Sept. 13, 1927.

[UNITED I k 1,642,566 PATENT-OFFICE.

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APPARATUS'FOB U WR-AP ING AND s'rmrrmq INNER TUBES; 6

Application med April 25,1919; Serial 292L640} This invention relates to an; apparatus for usein unwrapping and. stripping inner-tubes from mandrels on which theyarecured, and it is the object of the invention .to perfect an apparatus which 'wil-lafacilitate the unwrap- I ping of theft-ubes. and enable the operators I to strip a larger amount oftubes, in a g ven I 7 time than has been possible heretofore This andothe'rlobjects willbe apparent as the description proceeds and it will be noted that the invention isnot restricted-to the details shown, but maybe modified in a f PO er 21. A spring 22 is attached to the variety of ways." In the drawingsz Fig. l'is an' end elevation Fig.2 is a plan view.

' Fig.3 is a 'frontelevation. Figs. land 5 are detailviews show ng the construction of one of'theoverhead or transof theapparatus.

It will be understood-that inner tubes for pneumatic tires are bui-lt up on mandrels and then wrappedtightlylwith one or'mjore splral wrappings of: cloth beforelbeing. placed n are unwrapped and the tube is stripped from operation as is'well understood by those skilled in the art.

In the drawings, there is shown one form of my invention in which 1 represents aseries of standards on uprights which support the various parts of the apparatus. Longitudinally ofthe framework is secured a pair of rails .2, on which are arranged to be received the supporting wheels 3 of the cradle or. carriage l in which the tubes are stacked and placed in the vulcanizer. On the lower portion of the carriage is arranged a stationary toothed rack 5 in which the mandrels '6 of the lower row are supported, and be-v tween each row of tubes are placed undulat- Y ing separating barsv 7 which hold and separate the tubesin'the manner shown inFig. 1.

- From thestandards 1 extend a set of diagonalbars 8, arranged in pairs at the ends of the machine, each pair being'joined by brace rods 9. On the rods is supported at 0 each side of the apparatusabracketlO, the

mounted on pins 13 and designed to support,

the vulcaniaenl After-being cured,'the cloths men may remove the man the mandrels as they are unwrapped. The wrapperfrom the two'mandrels is shown at 1 1 and is wrapped around a receiving stick or pole 15;. The ends of this pole are formed with bearing pins and are received in the open ends of levers 16 pivoted at 17 on a bracket 18 which is secured to the framework. In the upper side of the bracket 1'8 is rotatably mounted a drive roll 19 extending across the length ofthe machine and which is dllven at a high rate of speed by a pulley 19 and belt 20 from a motor or other source number might be'increased if'found pram ticable.

On the side opposite the diagonal bars'8 V are arranged a pair. pf bars 23 which extend at an angleto apoint opposite the bracket 10 and thenprogeetupwardly for a distance approximately equal to the height ofthe pile of tubes, usually carried on the cradle 4. To

" the upper end of the bars, 23 is secured a frame-work lndicated by the numeral 24;" which supports a trackway composed of a series of rails 25, which incline toward the stripping side'ofthe apparatus being providedwith stop 26 which will hold a supply of unwrapped tubes ready to be stripped.

The rails are shown in detail in Figs. 4'

tects the surface of the inner tube. 7 It will. beseen that the space limited by the bars 23' and 5 and are preferably-formed of bars 27 hooked over the frame-work at one end and and framework 25 is large enough to hold a supply of tubes on the cradle and the workover the brackets 10. l r

drels from the pile side of theapparatus opposite the unwrapping device'andis supported by the bars 23 on brackets 29. The stripping. implements portin roller and. arr-abutment 32 against which the mandrel may be placed. A pipe for air under pressure is located at any suitable point, being shown at- 33 in Fig. 'l.

The operation of the device will be read ily understood. The tubes, as they are received from the heaters in the cradle at, are rolled into place in the center of the apparatus as shown in Fig. l. The unwrappers remove the mandrels and place each one on one side of the supporting rollers 12. end of the wrapper is then pulled oil a short distance and inserted between the drive roller 19 and the pole 15. The roller 19 is driven continuously and at a high rate of speed so that the wrapper is quickly unwound from the tube. Vhile one mandrel is being unwrapped, a second mandrel may he removed from the cradle, placed on the unoccupied set of rollers 12 and unwrapped at the same time.

After the wrapping is all removed, the mandrels are placed on the tracks 25 along which they roll until they strike the stop 26. The stripper operating on the opposite side of the machine removes the mandrels and places them on the shelf 30 where they are stripped.

It is apparent that changes and modifications may be made in the exact form shown in the drawings, and this patent is not limited to details as shown, but may be altered within the scope thereof without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrific- :ing any of its benefits.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus for unw'apping and stripping inner tubes from mandrels, a framework, means located centrally of the The framework to hold a supply of wrapped tubes, a support for holding the mandrels while they are being unwrapped located at one side of the apparatus, means for removing the wrapping from the mandrel, a stripping device on the other side of the apparatus, and an inclined rail leading from the unwrapping side of the apparatus to the stripping side thereof.

2. In an apparatus for unwrapping and stripping inner tubes from mandrels, a framework, means located centrally of the framework to hold a supply of wrapped tubes, a plurality of supports for holding the mandrels while they are being unwrapped located at one side of the apparatus, a single means for removing the wrapping from the plurality of niandrels, a stripping device on the other side of the apparatus, and an inclined 'ail leading from the unwrapping side of the apparatus to the stripping side thereof.

3. In an apparatus for unwrapping and stripping inner tubes from mandrels, a framework, means located centrally ot the framework to hold a supply of wrapped tubes, a plurality of supports for holding the mamlrels while they are being unwrapped, located at one side of the apparatus, a single means for removing the wrapping from the plurality of mandrels, a stripping device on the other side of the apparatus, an inclined rail leading from the unwrapping side of the apparatus to the stripping side thereof, said rail being located over the supply of wrapped tubes.

THOMAS J. SMITH. 

